Detachable weight for base-ball bats.



D. C. DINGER.

DBTAOHABLE WEIGHT FOR BASE BALL BATS. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 28, 1911.

- DAVID C. DINGER. OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DETACHABLE WEIGHT FOR BASE-BALL BATS,

i ,cada f2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application'filed November 28, 1911.

Patented.'1i1v2,3t912.

Serial No, 662,864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Davm C. Dixonn. a citizen of the United States, and residing in the city otl lVasliington, in the District ot IColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detachable Weights .'tor Base-l5all Bats, of which the following is aspecification.

ln the game of baseball it has been found to be advantageous for the players to exercise. a'short time before going to the hat, with a bat or t-he like which is heavier than the one they intend to use in striking the hall. After exercising in such a manner a return to the use of abat of a lighter weight gives the player a better control over said hatvand he is able to strike the ball with `greater accuracy and ease. i `Primarily, the object of this invention is to provide means for loading a base-ball bat so that the latter can be used i'or exercising purposes and for the usual function ot striking a ball. thus permitting one hat to be used t'or both purposes whichwill greatly increase the player-s control over theuse ot the same.

An additional object.` ot' this invention is to provide a weight embodying means to adapt the same to be applied to and removed 'from a base-ball batV without the. employment ol nails, screws or other fastenings ol' a permanent character, and which can be operated `without being held in the hands. I

lf`urthermore, the, invention aims to provide a device for the purpose stated, the consti-tuition of which is such as to adapt it l'or application to different sizes ot' bats, the clamping means being adjustable, and thereby enable `it .to be used by a number of players without a change of any of its parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device. it'or the purpose stated which can be easily and quickly attached to and det-ached from a` baseball hat., which when applied will be firmly held thereon until it is desired to remove same, which can be quickly and easily operated, and which will be economical in construction and the parts so arranged as to provide easy access `t'or repair.

llaving these general objects in view, and others which lwill appear as the nature ot' the invention is better understood, the invention consists substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangements of the parts hereinafter described, illustrated mechanism is supported.

in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

fn the drawiugs-Figure Vl is'a vertical elevation ot the invention showing a portion ot' the casing broken away, Fig. 2 is a plan view of said invention. and Fig. 3 is a detail ot a shoe attached. to an end of the clamping arm.

Similar reference characters refer to like part-s throughout the drawings.

Referring in detail to the drawings, th'e numeral l designates the base on which the Positioned eentrally on said base is a truncated co11eshaped member Q having centrally therein a threaded orifice 3 in which' a threaded spindle'hereinafter described, oper; tes. ring-likel member 4 having a threaded portion 5 thereon is formed on said base at the outer edge and provides engagement' for the lower portion of a ycasing 6, similarly threaded. T he said casing incloses the mechanism of the device .to prevent injury' to saine, and is lnovided with a central opening in the -top which acts as a guide 'when inserting the hat in the device. The cone-shaped member i2 and the ring 4 are Vlormed integral with the base 1.

movable platev i' havingl a threaded spindle Hadapted to operato in the threadedorifice23, is positionethabove. the base l, and upon rotation of sa td plate and spindle the former is raised or lowered with relation to said base.` The plate 7 is provided with a plurality ol slotted arms S in which clamping arms a a.: suitably pivoted on pins 10. The nornntl position xt* the arms 5l is relatively vertical and lhe.\v oscuiat` on the pins lll when moved in clamping the. object. The upper face of said philo is provided with pointed lugs ll which a'tl'ord gripping means l'or the end olI the bat when the. same is inserted between the clamping arms :tor the purpose oli' rotating said plate.

The inner, il'ace l2 of the depending portion oit' the arms El is rounded to provide more perfect cingageienty with the surface of the cone-shai'ied member and the outer face. is provided with a recess 13 toy receive a coiled spring it which embraces said lower portion of all the clamping arms and keeps the latter in close. engagement. with the cone member.

0n thealpper end ol' the arms t) a shoe 15 is ivot'ed on a pin 1G passing through lugs 1 formed ou the back ol the shoe, and

said arm, as shown in the drawings. lIn said shoe and adjacent the lugs 17, aslot 18 is formed to allow an edgeof the arm 9 to enter and provide free' movem'ent of said shoe on the arm. A lug 19 is provided on kthe arm 9 below the pivotal'point of said shoe to prevent the downward movement'of the latter when the bat'is linserted in the opening between the shoes. Y

The clamping face 20 of the shoe r15 is formed on the arc of a circle in order to provide engagement with the surface of the bat. The adjacent faces 21-21 of said shoe are provided with slots.22, inwhich the ends of a band of felt'or'the like may be inserted and suitably clamped when it is desired to provide protecting means on the face of said shoe.y

To limit. the upward movement of the plate 7, when' the same is rotated, a washer l24u is attached to the end of the spindle 8 by means of a machine screw 25. A recessed portion 26 is formedV in the bottoni of the v base 1 for the operation of said washer. The

v bottom of the base lis serrated 27 as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent rotation .of thedevice when the clamping mechanism is being operated. Additional lugs may be provided on said base to afford additional gripping means.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The device is .placed on the floor or ground and the lower portion of a base-ball bat is inserted between the clamping shoes 1 through the opening in the top of the casing until said port-ion comes into contact with the lugs 11' which will afford-'gripping means by which the 4plate 7 may be rotated when the bat is Qturnedby the hands of the operator or player. The rotation of the plate land spindle 8 in one` direction causes the depending portion of 4the arms 9 to be forced away from the said spindle by reason;- ofxzoming into contact with` the suiit'ace'o the cone 2 and thereby the clamping shoes pivoted on the `uppee'ridsot the arms 9 are brought into close 'relation and embrace the portion of the bat to beclamped. Thev shoes 15 being pivoted to the'arms 9 accommodate themselves to the contour of the bat.

`fAn additional turn is given to the .bat that -the device may be firmly clamped'rthfereon.

use the bat for the usual :function of strik- Y ing the ball, the bat is turned in the opposite direction which causes the'depending' portion of the arms to approach the spindle thereby 4vmoy@ the upper' Portion 0f Said arms in the opposite direction and the shoes away from the surface of the bat. The

coiled spring 14 embracing the depending vportion of the arms -holds the latter in frictional engagement with the surfaceof the cone at all times. A

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

a threadedhole therein, amember arranged` to thread into saidhol'e, a plurality of arms disposed on said member and arranged to clamp together when v said member is threaded into' said base.

4. A detachable weight for base-ball bats comprising in combination, a base having a.

threaded hole therein, a

disposed on said member and 'arrangedto vclamp togetherA when said member is threaded into said base, anda pluralityV of adjustable shoespon said arms.

5. A detachable weightfor'base-ball bats comprising in combination, a base having a threaded hole therein, a member arranged v -to thread into said hole, a plurality'of arms ember arrangedv to thread into said hole, a plurality of arms ico disposed on said member and arranged toA l clamp together when said member is threaded intoisaid base, a plurality ofadjustable shoes on said arms,and means ar` ranged to engage in the bat so that said'- member may lbe .actuated rotatably.. thereby.

G. A detachable weight for base-ball bats comprising in combination, a base having a threaded hole therein, a member arranged to thread into said hole, a plurality ofarms/` disposed on said member 4and arranged to clamp together when` said member is threaded into said base, a plurality of adjustable shoes on said arms, means arranged to engage in said bat .so that said member mav be actuated rotatablv thereby, and a casing for -protecting said 'parts and for guiding abat to Vsaid arms.

' DAVID Q'DINGER.'

Witnesses: 'I Y JOHN J. Sig'LLrvAN, ELI HUGHES. 

